Motor-starting rheostat.



PATENTED JUNE 5,1906.

H. GEISENHGNER. MOTOR. STARTING RHBOSTAT.

APPLICATION TILED JUNE 10, 1905.

2 8HEBTS'SHEET l.

Inventor. Henrg Geisenhner.

No. 822,269. PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906. H. @EISENHGNER EEUTOR STARTING RHEOSTAT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10 1905.

2 SHEBTS -SHEET 2 heir s'rarss refrains critics.

ssuar csissnsouea, or soasssc'rinr, NEW roan, ASSIGNOR ro GENERAL ELEGTRIQOOMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW roan.

. moroa s'rasriais, RHESTAT= no. ssaaee i To all, wlwm, it may-concern:

1-3 'iectly reliable, safe, and efficient,

More specifically my invention relates to .automatic motor-starting switches in which the controlling element is a quantity of mer cury-so'arranged as to automatically cut out resistance upon simply closing a switch.

In carrying out my invention. I provide a pivoted controllii'ig-arm having a bias to a position at an angle with the horizontal, provided with contacts corresponding 2 5 in position and number with the studs of the v 'rheostat. The arm contains mercury, and the passages therein are so arranqed that when the arm approaches a horizontal position the mercury flows through the same and successively engages the contacts to cut out the resistance and eii'ccts a timing or successive cutting out of resistance steps, which is necessary to successful motorstarting.

()ne of the principal features of this construe 3 5 tion is that the circuit is not broken at the surface of the mercury, which is an advantage in that there will be no deterioration of the mercury due to the sparking. Y,

My invention further consists in the de- 410 tails of construction and in the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this application. '5 In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of a motor-starting rheostat embodying my l1I1]')1OVO111GntS.- Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the controlling-arm; Fig. 3 is a detail showing an end view of the controlling arm an '50 the clamp on the retaining-magnet. Fig. 4

is .a diagrammatic View showing a slight modiiication, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing another modification.

lioi'erringto the drawingsi is the insulat- Spscification of Letters ZPatent. Application filed June' 10, 1905. steer. 264,612.

Patented J une 5, 1906.

ing-base of an ordinary rheostat provided with the contact-studs 2.

the force of gravity to bring about this result. The arm 3 is'provided with an offset portion 5', which is chambered out, as shown, to contain a quantity of mercury. The end of the arm is perforated and a screw 6 inserted therein, and through this perforation the mercury is poured into the arm. The main b :iy of the arm is provided with two The controllingarm 3 is pivoted at about its middle point holes 7 and 8, which are connected with the chambered portion by means of the passages 9 and 10. A screw 10 is screwed into the arm and arranged so as to contract the passage 10- more or less, as desired, hy the adjustment oi' the screw. The holes 7 and S are referably' drilled and the ends afterwar plug ed up, as shown at 11. The arm 3 is prov ed with a series of contacts cor responding in number with the rheostatstuds. 2 and so arranged as to engage said studs when the arm is moved to a horizontal osition; A series of holes or pockets 12 are lormed'in the arm, one for each contact, and arepositioned so as to intersect the longitudiual holes 7 and 8. The contact 0011]- prises an. external terminal and one within the arm. The inner terminal 13 is forkand is further secured to the arm 3 means of the screws 17 an insulating-plate 18 being interposed between the terminal and the arm. A solenoid 19, having an armature 20, is rovided for raising the arm to a horizontal position. The armature is conected to the arm 3 by means of the link 21.

As a means of retaining the arm in a hori zontal positionthc following,construction is employed: A retaining-.riragnet is mount ed upon the base 1. near the extremity of the arm 3 and is provided with pole-pieces 22% and 52s, secured to and insulated from the magne A. reteining clamp is pivoted at 26 to the pole-piece 24 and is provided *ith an elongated hole 27, into which fits the cen- The (iltiill'illlg member 25 is provided with a shoultier 2? for engaging the arm 3 to hold it in poits the arm 3 comes into engagement F with the pole-pieces it encounters the edge l tral retaining-screw 28 of the magnet.

sition.

of the clamp, rotating the same and moving the shoulder 29 so as to engage the arm, and as the magnet is energized the clamp is held in this position, securely clamping the arm against the pole-pieces.

The arrangement of circuits is as follows: Current passes from the line-terminal 31 to the pivot 4 and thence through conductor solenoid. 19, and conductor 33 to the first stud of the rheostat, thence through the resistance, andb'ack to the armature-terminal 34. The field-current passes from pivot 4 through the magnet-coil 22, thence by con ductor 36 to the terminal 35, thence through the field to the other side of the line. It will thus be seen that when the motor-circuit is completed by the closing of the line-switch (shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and the solenoid 19 is energized the arm 3 is drawn toward a horizontal position, closing the armattire-circuit through. th studs 2 and contact 1-5 and short-circuiting the solenoid '19 as the mercury makes contact with the ilISl) and longest The mercury then passing through g contact Withthe terminals 13, will be observed, become shorter e end of the arm. :assage, permitting the mercury to 21s,, witlmut obstruction. Upon failure of voltage the arm upon being released drops back and breaks the circuit at the studs, the n'iercury quickly returning through opening 9. Bv thus making and breaking the circuit outside of the mercury instead of Within it the life of the mercury is greatly prolonged and there is no fusing of the terminals 13, which are not readilv accessible. I introduce hereby a time element which is much more easily varied and is more definite 51nd constant than u daslupot such as is usually urn dingremniatically a my device, the error ment oi t the same. as that sh mn in 7 end in this form the operating-solenoid is provided with two windings 37 and 38, the former in series with the armature the same as the winding oi solenoid 19 in Fig. l, and the latter winding 38 is in series with the field. the same as the winding of magnet 22 in Fig. 1. In this lorm the windings of the two magnets ill and 22 oi. Fig. l have simply oc cn combined into one magnet, so th the arm will 1- ropbe.

Fig.

in its nori" 8 successively in? the holeslhe hole '2 acts lure of voltage containing a conductniglluid, a plurality of sets, means for delivering said iluld from whereby as soon as the full current is passin through the motor the retainingmagnet and the controlling-arm are shor*circuited, allowing the latter to drop back into its'inclined position, so as to be in readiness in case the current should go oil and on again suddenly. Referring to this figure, the solenoid 39 is in series with the starting resistonce 46 and the armature 41, the retainingmagnet 42 being in series with the field 43 through conductor 44, terminal 45, switcharm 46, terminal 54, and conductor 47, con- 1 necting with thc line at 48.

'A magnet 49, to which is pivoted the switch-arm 46, has a Winding in parallel with magnet 42, the switch-arm 46 acting an armature for said magnet and being provided with a bridging contact 50, insulated from 46 for engaging sliding contact 50 and for bridging contacts 51 and When new the motor-circuit is closed, the solenoid 39 draws the startingarm to a horizontal'position to out out resistance, the retainingmagnet holding it in this position. When, however, all of the starting resistance is cut out and run Ining conditions established, coil 49 is energizecl, through conductor 00 by the mercury in the starting-arm reaching the stud 52', and the armature portion of the switch-arm 46, pivoted to the magnet at 53, is attracted, bridging the contacts 5!), 5i, and 52 and at the same time breaking the :ircuit between the contacts 4.5 and 54. By the bridging of the contacts 51 and 52 the solenoid 39, controllin -arm, and contact tuds are shunted tlarougn conductors 55, contacts 51 and 52, and conductor 56, and at the same time by breaking the connection between contacts and 54 the circuit of the retaining-magnet l2 broken, allowing the arm to drop to its inclined position. This of course by breaking the contact at 52 would (lefe'norgize magnet 49; but by the bridging of contacts and 51 the energy oi magnet 49 is maintained through conductor 56, contacts 51 and 50, conductor 54' magnet 49, contact 45, and conductor 4 to field The short circuit IO. of the starting parts is thus maintained until upon failure of voltage the arm 46 will be drawn up the spring 57 and starting conditions restored.

lvhat Ii claim as new, and desire to secure y l lettcrs Patent of the United Stat s, is- I. A time-switch comprising a reservoir containing a conducting fluid, a plurality of contacts, means for delivering said fluid from said reservoir and causing it to successively engage said contacts, means ,for returning said fluid to said reservoir, and means for causing said circuit to be broken outside of said fluid simultaneously with the return of the said fluid to said reservoir.

2. A time-switch c-oinprisiuga reservoir seam whereby the mercury is caused to close an electric circuit between said contacts.

4. In a starting-rheostat, the combination with a series of resistances and contact-studs ances comprising a pivoted mercury-containing arm biased from the horizontal and provided with contacts ada ted to engage said studs, and means where y said mercury is caused to successively engage said contacts when the arm is moved to a substantially horizontal position.

5. In a motor-starting rheostat, the combination with a series of contact-studs, of a pivoted mercury-containing arm biased from the horizontal and having a series of contacts mounted thereon for engagement with said studs, said contacts having terminals within said arm, and means whereby the mercury is caused to engage said terminals to out out resistance when the arm is moved to a substantially horizontal position.-

6. In a motor-starting rheostat, the combination with a series of contact-studs, of a pivoted arm biased from the horizontal, havmg a chambered portion containing mercury, and a passage therethrough communicating with said chamber, said arm being provided with contacts having an external portion for engaging said studs and an internal portion for engaging the mercury in said passa e when the arm is moved to a substantially orizontal position.

7. An automatic starting-rheostat provided with contact-studs and comprising a pivoted controlling-arm containing mercury and having a bias from the horizontal, contacts on said arm for electrically connecting said studs and said mercury when the arm is moved to a substantially horizontal position, and elec tromagnetic means for moving said arm.-

8, An automatic starting-rheostat provided with contact-studs comprising a pivoted controlling-arm having contacts mounted thereon for engaging said studs but biased from engagement therewith, means in connection 9. A time-switch com rising a reservoir containing a conducting uid, a plurality of contacts, means for delivering said fluid from said reservoir and causing it to successively engage said contact, means for returning said fluid to said reservoir, and means for causing the said circuit to be broken outside of said fluid.

In witness whereof have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of June, 1905.

HENRY cmsnunounn.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ()nronn. 

